Alphadia Genesis

If you can put up with Alphadia Genesis' liberal use of tired cliches, poor localization, and dissonant presentation, you'll find a fun little JRPG with fast-paced combat and a refreshingly simple customization system. A little more effort on the part of the writers would have gone a long way toward making the narrative and characters less insufferable, but as-is most JRPG fans should be well-versed enough in this banality to look past it and enjoy the game for what it is.

Dear script writers: If your party's reaction to a terrifying building appearing out of nowhere is for all the ladies to dogpile on the main character for fun, you're doing something wrong.

Alphadia Genesis never strays too far off the beaten path. Keeping in mind that this is a budget eShop title, it's actually quite charming and worthy of its price tag for anyone who considers themselves a fan of old-school, 16-bit JRPGs. Play Pier Solar HD first if you're wanting to fully get that throwback feel, but once that's come and gone, Genesis fills the role quite well. Its biggest issue is how safe it plays everything, but anyone wanting a straightforward approach to the JRPG genre will leave more than likely impressed by Alphadia's endearing simplicity and nostalgic allure.

A good RPG has an intriguing story, likeable characters, appealing music that can be listened to for many hours on end, and a satisfactory conclusion. Alphadia Genesis by KEMCO ticks all these boxes, and then some. Any predictability in the RPG tale is countered with other plot twists that can make many to cry at the end, something countered by the plentiful humour throughout the tale. It will get replayed in due course because leaving the characters at the end was hard: their personalities are memorable, and being with them is an enjoyable experience.

Alphadia Genesis doesn’t reinvent the JRPG wheel. It’s a cookie-cutter turn-based RPG with little innovations. The game is story-heavy which can make it feel the game’s progression tedious. It’s easy to pick up and play with very simplistic combat. Whether you’re a long-time fan of the genre or simply wanting to dab into it for the first time, Alphadia Genesis is a great choice; just don’t expect too much depth.

There are a few stumbles here and there, but Alphadia Genesis reflects many smart choices. The story is strong, the characters leave an impression, and the battling has depth. If you're a genre fan looking for a slice of RPG nostalgia, this game has both quantity and quality.

Alphadia Genesis is an old-school story-driven RPG through and through so if that's your cup of tea then you'll thoroughly enjoy what it has to offer. Plus, its charming cast of characters are sure to delight from start to finish.

Overall, Alphadia Genesis will provide a satisfying JRPG experience, with just enough story intrigue, compelling character interactions, a strong, yet overly familiar gameplay mechanic, and satisfying 2D visuals. Despite its missteps, fans of the JRPG genre and those intrigued by the Alphadia series can be assured that this will serve as an excellent stand-alone adventure, a worthy addition to the series, and a solid starting point for all newcomers.

There's little reason to recommend 'Alphadia Genesis' to anyone. While both the Wii U and Steam are a bit lacking in JRPG content at the moment, 'Alphadia Genesis skews to close towards mediocre and frustrating to safely scratch the JRPG itch. More and more JRPGS are being released on the Steam platform every week, while the Wii U is getting a nice backlog of classic games with the Virtual Console. With so many other, better options available, 'Alphadia Genesis isn't worth your time or your money.

Yet despite its weaknesses, Alphadia Genesis doesn't do anything outwardly wrong. It sets out to offer a nostalgic JRPG experience, and it achieves that. It might lack the style and substance of a truly good game, but I can think of worse ways for JRPG veterans to eat away a lazy Sunday or two than this.